Evacuation tracking

ABSTRACT

A computer implemented technique of tracking an evacuation of a location in an environment that utilizes physical tokens to prove physical presence at the location is presented. The technique includes receiving, by a mobile device of an evacuation facilitator, a selection from among choices including at least a real emergency and a simulated emergency; receiving wirelessly, by the mobile device, organization hierarchy data; receiving wirelessly, by the mobile device, physical token based location status information for each of a plurality of subordinates of the evacuation facilitator; displaying, by the mobile device, and based on physical token based location status information, a physical presence status at the location for each of the plurality of subordinates; receiving, by the mobile device, evacuation status information; and recording in remote persistent memory the evacuation status information, such that a second mobile device of a second evacuation facilitator displays at least the evacuation status information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/774,417, entitled, “EvacuationTracking,” and filed Dec. 3, 2018, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to devices and systems for evacuationsand simulated emergencies (e.g., evacuation drills), and moreparticularly to improved devices and systems for detecting individualevacuees.

BACKGROUND

Emergencies, such as by way of non-limiting examples, fires,earthquakes, and active shooters, may prompt evacuations from locations.In general, such evacuations may be accomplished by having one or moreevacuation facilitators (e.g., managers in a workplace environment)generate lists of individuals (e.g., employees) that the evacuationfacilitators have judged to be safe, or check off the evacuees that theysee from pre-printed lists of all the employees for which they areresponsible. However, accounting for individuals during a locationevacuation using such lists has a number of drawbacks. For example, theevacuation facilitators must rely on their memory as to which employeesthey are charged with accounting for. Although the evacuees charged to aparticular evacuation facilitator may be well-known to the evacuationfacilitator, e.g., their coworkers or subordinates, in the fog of anactual emergency, some may be left unaccounted for. Further, multipleevacuation facilitators have no reasonable way to share their evacuationinformation amongst themselves. Because evacuation locations may be verylarge, e.g., corporate campuses covering many acres, the evacuationfacilitators cannot rely on physical proximity to share evacuationinformation, and evacuees may be accounted for multiple times, or missedaltogether. Yet further, existing techniques do not alert interestedindividuals, e.g., executive team contacts, automatically uponinitialization of an evacuation event. These and other shortcomings ofexisting techniques may be overcome by embodiments as described indetail herein.

SUMMARY

According to various embodiments, a computer implemented method oftracking an evacuation of a location in an environment that utilizesphysical tokens to prove physical presence at the location is disclosed.The method includes receiving, by an application executing on a mobiledevice of an evacuation facilitator, and from the evacuationfacilitator, an identification and a password of the evacuationfacilitator; verifying the identification and password of the evacuationfacilitator; receiving, by the application executing on the mobiledevice and from the evacuation facilitator, a selection from amongchoices including at least a real emergency and a simulated emergency;receiving wirelessly, by the application executing on the mobile deviceof the evacuation facilitator, organization hierarchy data representinga plurality of subordinates of the evacuation facilitator; receivingwirelessly, by the application executing on the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, physical token based location status informationfor each of the plurality of subordinates of the evacuation facilitator,where the physical token based location status information is retrievedfrom a database that records presences at the location based onelectronic readings of the physical tokens; displaying, by theapplication executing on the mobile device of the evacuationfacilitator, and based on the physical token based location statusinformation, a physical presence status at the location for each of theplurality of subordinates; receiving, by the application executing onthe mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, evacuation statusinformation for each of the plurality of subordinates that has aphysical presence status that indicates a presence at the location; andrecording in remote persistent memory the evacuation status informationfor each person of the plurality of subordinates that has a physicalpresence status that indicates a presence at the location, whereby asecond mobile device of a second evacuation facilitator executes a copyof the application to display at least the evacuation status informationfor each of the plurality of subordinates who is a subordinate to thesecond evacuation facilitator.

Various optional features of the above embodiments include thefollowing. The receiving evacuation status information may includereceiving electronic proximity information, by the application on themobile device of the evacuation facilitator, of an electronic device ofat least one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physicalpresence status that indicates a presence at the location. The receivingevacuation status information may include capturing an image, by theapplication on the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, of atleast one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presencestatus that indicates a presence at the location. The receivingevacuation status information may include recording a voiceprint, by theapplication on the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, of atleast one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presencestatus that indicates a presence at the location. The receivingevacuation status information may include receiving a textual message,by the application executing on the mobile device of the evacuationfacilitator, from at least one of the plurality of subordinates that hasa physical presence status that indicates a presence at the location viaan executing copy of the application installed on a mobile device of theat least one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physicalpresence status that indicates a presence at the location. The receivingevacuation status information may include receiving data from theevacuation facilitator, by the application on the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, regarding at least one person of the pluralityof subordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location. The method may include receiving from theevacuation facilitator, and by the mobile device, a selection of amanager subordinate to the evacuation facilitator, where the pluralityof subordinates include at least subordinates to the manager. Theplurality of subordinates may be the subordinates to the manager. Themethod may include sending an electronic message representing theevacuation to at least one superior of the evacuation facilitator. Themethod may include displaying, by the application on the mobile device,evacuation status totals for both direct subordinates of the evacuationfacilitator and indirect subordinates of the evacuation facilitator.

According to various embodiments, a computer readable media includinginstructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device of anevacuation facilitator, configure the mobile device to track anevacuation of a location, in an environment that utilizes physicaltokens to prove physical presence at the location, by performing theoperation, is disclosed. The operations include receiving, from theevacuation facilitator, an identification and a password of theevacuation facilitator; verifying the identification and password of theevacuation facilitator; receiving, from the evacuation facilitator, aselection from among choices including at least a real emergency and asimulated emergency; receiving wirelessly, by the mobile device,organization hierarchy data representing a plurality of subordinates ofthe evacuation facilitator; receiving wirelessly, from a database thatrecords presences at the location based on electronic readings of thephysical tokens, physical token based location status informationregarding physical presence at the location for each of the plurality ofsubordinates of the evacuation facilitator; displaying, based on thephysical token based location status information, a physical presencestatus at the location for each of the plurality of subordinates;receiving evacuation status information for each of the plurality ofsubordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location; recording in remote persistent memory theevacuation status information for each person of the plurality ofsubordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location, whereby a copy of the application installed ona mobile device of a second evacuation facilitator displays at least theevacuation status information for each of the plurality of subordinateswho is a subordinate to the second evacuation facilitator.

Various optional features of the above embodiments include thefollowing. The receiving evacuation status information may includereceiving electronic proximity information, by the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, of an electronic device of at least one of theplurality of subordinates that has a physical presence status thatindicates a presence at the location. The receiving evacuation statusinformation may include capturing an image, by the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, of at least one of the plurality of subordinatesthat has a physical presence status that indicates a presence at thelocation. The receiving evacuation status information may includerecording a voiceprint, by the mobile device of the evacuationfacilitator, of at least one of the plurality of subordinates that has aphysical presence status that indicates a presence at the location. Thereceiving evacuation status information may include receiving a textualmessage, by the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, from atleast one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presencestatus that indicates a presence at the location via an executing copyof the application installed on a mobile device of the at least one ofthe plurality of subordinates that has a physical presence status thatindicates a presence at the location. The receiving evacuation statusinformation may include receiving data from the evacuation facilitator,by the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, regarding at leastone person of the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presencestatus that indicates a presence at the location. The operations mayinclude receiving from the evacuation facilitator, and by the mobiledevice, a selection of a manager subordinate to the evacuationfacilitator, where the plurality of subordinates include at leastsubordinates to the manager. The plurality of subordinates may be thesubordinates to the manager. The operations may include sending anelectronic message representing the evacuation to at least one superiorof the evacuation facilitator. The operations may include displaying, bythe mobile device, evacuation status totals for both direct subordinatesof the evacuation facilitator and indirect subordinates of theevacuation facilitator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features of the examples can be more fully appreciated, as theexamples become better understood with reference to the followingdetailed description, when considered in connection with theaccompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for evacuation trackingaccording to various embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a hybrid diagram of a process for evacuation trackingaccording to various embodiments;

FIG. 3 depicts a screenshot of a physical token tracking databaseinterface according to various embodiments;

FIG. 4 depicts a login screen of an evacuation tracking applicationexecuting on a mobile device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 5 depicts an activation screen of an evacuation trackingapplication executing on a mobile device according to variousembodiments;

FIG. 6 depicts an option screen of an evacuation tracking applicationexecuting on a mobile device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 7 depicts two example notification emails according to variousembodiments;

FIG. 8 depicts a checklist screen of an evacuation tracking applicationexecuting on a mobile device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 9 depicts a rollup view checklist of an evacuation trackingapplication executing on a mobile device according to variousembodiments;

FIG. 10 depicts a subordinate manager checklist screen of an evacuationtracking application executing on a mobile device according to variousembodiments; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method of evacuation tracking according tovarious embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the disclosed examples, whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, thesame reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer tothe same or like parts. In the following description, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings that form a part thereof, and in which isshown by way of illustration specific examples. These examples aredescribed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice them and it is to be understood that other examples may beutilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scopeof the disclosure. The following description is, therefore, merelyexemplary.

Many locations, such as places of employment (e.g., office buildings,office floors, office suites, cubicle farms, corporate campuses, jobsites, factories, etc.), utilize physical tokens for trackingindividuals. Each physical token may be in the form of a badge or otherphysical implement, which is held by a respective individual. Thephysical token may have the individual's name and other informationprinted on its face. Each physical token may store computer-readabledata that encodes the individual's information, such as the individual'sname and/or identification number relevant to the location. Thecomputer-readable data may be encoded in a barcode (e.g., QR code) onthe physical token, stored in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)chip embedded in the physical token, or present on or in the physicaltoken in any other computer readable form. When an individual enters orexits the location, he or she scans his or her physical token using ascanning device appropriate for the particular physical tokens (e.g., anRFID reader, a barcode scanner, etc.). Thus, scanning devices may bepresent at entrances and exits of the location. The scanning devicesobtain the individual's information, such as name and/or identificationnumber, from the physical token. The scanning devices may be networkedto a remote database, referred to herein as a “token scan database”,which tracks individuals' presence relative to the location. Thus, eachscan event causes the respective scanner to send a scan data set,including at least the individual's data, to the token scan database.The token scan database may associate the individual's data and scanevent with a timestamp, which may be provided by the scanning device aspart of the scan data set, or, alternately, by the token scan databaseitself. More particularly, the token scan database may maintain arecord, or records, for each tracked individual and update the record(s)in real time to represent whether the individual is currently presentat, or absent from, the location according to the individual's pastscans. Employers, for example, may utilize such records, including thetimestamps, to ensure that employees are appropriately located duringwork hours.

Some embodiments utilize an application installed and/or executing onmobile devices such as smart phones to track evacuations duringemergency simulations or real emergencies. The application, whenexecuted, allows evacuation facilitators to obtain a headcount ofevacuees. Evacuation facilitators may account for individuals using theapplication via a variety of techniques and technologies according tovarious embodiments, including, for example, electronic proximitydetection of individuals' mobile devices, photographic identification,voiceprint, evacuation facilitator attestation, and/or textual messagewithin the application. According to some embodiments, the applicationautomatically determines which individuals are present at the locationaccording to their physical token scan history, and are thus subject tothe evacuation. It automatically excludes individuals whose physicaltoken scan history indicates that they are absent from the location.Further, the application may be installed on multiple devices ofmultiple evacuation facilitators, and may be used to share, and obtain,real time evacuation status information among evacuation facilitators.Some embodiments permit an evacuation facilitator to view evacuationstatus information for a subordinate evacuation facilitator. Someembodiments permit the designation of evacuation facilitators before orduring an actual emergency or emergency simulation. These and othertechnical features and advantages are described in detail herein.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for evacuation trackingaccording to various embodiments. The system includes a mobile device100, which may be a smart phone, tablet, personal digital assistant, orother electronic mobile device capable of obtaining and executing anapplication as disclosed herein, and capable of accomplishing thevarious wireless and direct communications and actions of theapplication, as described herein. Thus, mobile device 100 includes oneor more electronic processors 116, which are communicatively coupled tovolatile memory 114 and persistent memory 112. Persistent memory 112 maystore computer executable instructions comprising the applicationdisclosed herein according to various embodiments. Mobile device 100also includes network interface 110, which may be a wireless networkinterface, communicatively coupling mobile device 100 to a cellular datanetwork, a Wi-Fi network, or another wireless network. As shown in FIG.1, network 102 may include multiple networks, such as a wireless networkcommunicatively coupled to wireless device 100, together with theinternet, for example.

According to some embodiments, the application is obtained and installedon mobile device 100 by downloading it from an application distributionsite, for example. According to some embodiments, the application is aweb application, available by navigating a browser of mobile device 100to a web page. According to such embodiments, the web page itself mayexecute the application.

According to various embodiments, mobile device 100 has communicationchannels via network 102 to one or more remote databases 104, 106, 108.As depicted in FIG. 1, each remote database 104, 106, 108 is identifiedwith both its electronic computer readable data store and its servercomputer. The communication channels may be via a wireless networkand/or the internet, according to some embodiments.

In particular, mobile device is communicatively coupled to token scandatabase 104, which records in real time data representing whether theindividual is currently present at or absent from the location accordingto the individual's past scans of their physical token. Mobile device isalso communicatively coupled to location hierarchy database 106, whichstores data representing the hierarchy of individuals at the location atissue. Such a hierarchy may be an employee hierarchy, representingsupervisory and subordinate relationships between individuals. Mobiledevice 100 is also communicatively coupled to evacuation status database108, which receives, stores, and disburses evacuations statusinformation from mobile device 100 and other mobile devices that have acopy of the application installed and executing thereon. Databases 104,106, 108 and their functionalities are further described herein.

FIG. 2 is a hybrid diagram 202 of a process for evacuation trackingaccording to various embodiments. Diagram 202 depicts how embodimentsmay utilize a hierarchy associated with the location to facilitate anevacuation using an application executing on mobile devices ofevacuation facilitators. Such a hierarchy may be an employmenthierarchy, e.g., as represented by an organization chart for thelocation.

Thus, FIG. 2 depicts an example employment hierarchy 204, including asecond level manager, who supervises a first level manager. Also shownare individual employees both directly under the second level managerand under one of the first level managers. A visitor is depicted asbeing directly under the second level manager. Note that someembodiments classify visitors to the location as reporting directly tothe highest level supervisor in the hierarchy for purposes offacilitating the evacuation as described further herein. A computerreadable electronic representation of hierarchy 204 (or other hierarchy)may be stored in location hierarchy database 106, e.g., in the form of aconnected directed acyclic graph.

Diagram 202 of FIG. 2 depicts a portion of an evacuation processaccording to some embodiments. The process may begin with thedeclaration of an emergency evacuation 206. The declaration may beoutside of the application, e.g., announced on an intercom, sent viaemail, or indicated by the activation of an evacuation alarm. Anevacuation facilitator, for example, a first or second-level manager,may activate 210 the application on their mobile device. The mobiledevice, executing the application, retrieves the evacuationfacilitator's profile 208 from location hierarchy database 106. Theprofile includes or represents a portion of the hierarchy 204 that isunder the evacuation facilitator. This information is used to determinethe individuals that the particular evacuation facilitator is chargedwith accounting for. Next at 212, the application determines thehierarchal level of the evacuation facilitator based on the retrievedprofile. Depending on the level within the hierarchy 204 of theevacuation facilitator, the application displays informationrepresenting the individuals that are under the evacuation facilitatorin the hierarchy. For example, if the evacuation facilitator is afirst-level manager, the application lists 214 the individuals thatdirectly report to the evacuation facilitator. If the evacuationfacilitator is a second-level manager, the application lists 216 theindividual employees that directly report to the evacuation facilitator,the first-level managers that report to the evacuation facilitator, andthe individual employees that report to the first-level managers thatreport to the evacuation facilitator. According to some embodiments, theapplication also lists 216 any visitors for second level managerevacuation facilitators. Note that visitors may be assigned a temporaryphysical token, such as a badge displaying their name and a photograph,which may be tracked together with the permanent physical tokens in thesame token scan database. Responsibilities 218 of first-level managersmay include accounting for individuals that directly report to eachfirst-level manager in their role as an evacuation facilitator, as wellas accounting for any specially designated (e.g., substitute) evacuationfacilitators and their direct reports according to various embodiments.Responsibilities 220 of second-level managers may include accounting forindividuals that directly report to each second-level manager in theirrole as an evacuation facilitator, accounting for any speciallydesignated evacuation facilitators and their direct reports, accountingfor any first-level managers and their direct reports under theevacuation facilitator in the hierarchy, and accounting for any visitorsaccording to various embodiments. The displaying and the manner ofaccounting is described further herein.

Note that some embodiments permit managers to specially designate (e.g.,substitute) evacuation facilitators when the standard evacuationfacilitators are absent or unavailable. Such embodiments may temporarilyalter records in the location hierarchy database 106 to replace therecord for a standard evacuation facilitator with that of a substituteevacuation facilitator.

After the emergency (or emergency simulation) is complete, theevacuation facilitator may activate a “reset” button in the application.Such a button may clear all of the evacuation status information presentin the evacuation status database 106. The reset may change an indicatorof individuals in the system to “not present” and also may signalcompletion of the event, either “emergency” or “emergency simulation”.

FIG. 3 depicts a screenshot of a token scan database interface 300according to various embodiments. The token scan database interface 300may be used with the token scan database 104 of FIG. 4, for example. Asshown, the token scan database interface 300 lists records for theindividual “Theobald WolfeTone,” including data representing individualscan events, their timestamps, and their locations (i.e., the locationsof the relevant scanning devices). The token scan database interface 300further displays the identification number for Mr. WolfeTone, his dutystation, and his department. The token scan database interface 300 mayaccompany an Application Program Interface (API), enablingcommunications between a copy of the application executing on a mobiledevice 100 and the token scan database interface 300.

FIG. 4 depicts an example of a login screen 400 for an evacuationtracking application executing on a mobile device 100 according tovarious embodiments. The login screen 400 depicts fields for anevacuation facilitator to enter their identification and password. Theidentification may be a user name, or may be an employee number, e.g.,as stored in the location hierarchy database 106. The login screen 400may be the first screen presented to an evacuation facilitator uponactivating the application on their mobile device according to someembodiments.

FIG. 5 depicts an example of an activation screen 500 for an evacuationtracking application executing on a mobile device 100 according tovarious embodiments. The activation screen 500 includes a button orother input expedient labeled “activate”. Upon an evacuation facilitatoractivating the button, the application may display an option selectionscreen, as shown and described in reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 depicts an option screen 600 of an evacuation trackingapplication executing on a mobile device 100 according to variousembodiments. As depicted by the option screen 600 shown, the applicationdisplays a warning message that the application will send an emailmessage if the evacuation facilitator chooses to proceed. The emailmessage may be sent to any of a variety of individuals. According tovarious embodiments, the email message is sent to the evacuationfacilitator's immediate supervisor, one or more designated emergencyindividual(s), such as a CEO or risk management officer, or anycombination of such individuals. The application may identify theseindividuals by retrieving data from the location hierarchy database 106.The warning message displayed by the application also includes inputfunctionality that allows the evacuation facilitator to specify whetherthe evacuation is for an actual emergency or an emergency simulation.That is, the warning message permits the evacuation facilitator toindicate a selection from among the choices of “actual emergency” and“emergency simulation”.

FIG. 7 depicts two examples of notification emails 702, 704 according tovarious embodiments. Both notification emails 702, 704 representexamples sent to immediate supervisors of the evacuation facilitatorthat activates the evacuation on the application, e.g., via theinterface shown in FIG. 5. The notification email 702 indicates that anactual emergency has been activated, and the notification email 704indicates that an emergency simulation has been activated. Bothnotification emails 702, 704 include relevant information, such as theidentity of the location at which the evacuation is occurring.

FIG. 8 depicts an example of a checklist screen 800 for an evacuationtracking application executing on a mobile device 100 according tovarious embodiments. As shown, the application displays the name 802 ofthe evacuation facilitator who is logged in to the application. Further,the application provides a selection interface or mechanism 804, in thedepicted embodiment a dropdown menu, to select an evacuation facilitatorview. The name selected by the selection mechanism 804 determines theindividuals displayed by the application in the checklist screen 800under the name heading 812. In particular, the displayed individualsunder the name heading 812 correspond to the subordinates of theselected evacuation facilitator according to the records of the locationhierarchy database 106. The subordinate information may be obtained, forexample, using tree traversal techniques applied to the hierarchy tree204 stored in the location hierarchy database 106. The evacuationfacilitator may expand the information 810 about any particularsubordinate, which causes the application to retrieve data regarding theindividual, such as phone number, email address, physical station at thelocation, and/or disability status from the location hierarch database106, and display it on the screen of the evacuation facilitator's mobiledevice 100. By default, the selection mechanism or interface 804 may beset to the name 802 of the evacuation facilitator that is logged in. Asshown in FIG. 8, the selected view is that of the logged in evacuationfacilitator. However, the evacuation facilitator may select the name ofany subordinate evacuation facilitator using selection mechanism 804,according to some embodiments, to display a view from the perspective ofthe selected evacuation facilitator.

The checklist screen 800 depicts elements for tracking, detecting oraccounting for individuals during an emergency or emergency simulation.Thus, for each individual whose name appears under the name heading 812,the checklist screen displays a corresponding status under the statusheading 814 as that status is currently represented in the token scandatabase 104. For individuals whose status according to the token scandatabase 104 records is “in” the location, the application displaysselectors or indicators 808. For individuals whose status according tothe token scan database 104 records is “out” of the location, theapplication may omit the selectors or indicators 808 for thoseindividuals because they were not located in the location when theemergency or emergency simulation was activated. According to theillustrated embodiment of the checklist screen 800, the evacuationfacilitator may attest to an individual's evacuation status by setting arespective selector 808 to indicate “present” or “not present”. Theevacuation facilitator may attest that an individual evacuee is presentand manipulate a selector 808 accordingly, by way of non-limitingexample, upon confirming visually that a respective individual hasevacuated the location (e.g., has left the building) and/or is presentat a designated checkpoint away from the location. However, otherembodiments may employ other techniques for automatically determiningthe presence of an evacuee and setting the evacuation status of theindividuals listed under the name heading 812. Some examples aredisclosed presently.

Some embodiments use electronic proximity detection techniques todetermine the presence or evacuation status of the individuals listedunder the name heading 812. According to such embodiments, theindividuals may register their mobile electronic devices with the systemahead of time. The registration may include receiving, from theindividuals, identifying data regarding short-distance network (e.g.,BLUETOOTH) parameters for their mobile devices, and storing such data orparameters in the location hierarchy database 106, for example. Duringan evacuation event, the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator maydetect the proximity of the individuals' mobile devices using theshort-distance network. According to some embodiments, it may do so byacting as a BLUETOOTH beacon, connecting with the mobile devices,determining their short-distance network parameters, matching them tothe parameters stored at the location hierarchy database 106, forexample, and setting a respective indicator 808 on the checklist screenfrom “not present” to “present”. According to some embodiments, theapplication may display a confirmation request to the evacuationfacilitator prior to setting a respective indicator 808. For example,the application may display a pop-up box with text, “Do you want tocheck in Theobald WolfeTone based on device proximity?” along withcorresponding buttons for accepting or rejecting such check-in.

Some embodiments use facial recognition techniques to determine thepresence or evacuation status of the individuals listed under the nameheading 812. According to such embodiments, individuals may registerfacial recognition data with the system ahead of time. The registrationmay include receiving, from the individuals, one or more images of theirfaces, and storing corresponding facial recognition data in the locationhierarchy database 106, for example. During an evacuation event, theevacuation facilitator may capture one or more images of the individualsthat have safely evacuated using a camera of the mobile device 100. Theapplication extracts one or more faces from the images, and matches theextracted faces to facial recognition data stored at the locationhierarchy database 106, for example, and appropriately setting arespective selector or indicator 808 on the checklist screen 800.According to some embodiments, the application may display aconfirmation request and accept/reject buttons to the evacuationfacilitator, and set a respective indicator 808 accordingly.

Some embodiments use speaker or voice identification techniques todetermine the presence or evacuation status of the individuals listedunder the name heading 812. According to such embodiments, individualsmay register voiceprint identification data with the system ahead oftime. The registration may include receiving a sample of their voicefrom an individual, e.g., saying a specified phrase, and storingcorresponding voice identification data in the location hierarchydatabase 106, for example. During an evacuation event, the evacuationfacilitator may capture audio of individuals that have safely evacuatedusing a microphone of the mobile device 100. The application extractsone or more voiceprints from the audio, and matches the extractedvoiceprint(s) to voiceprint identification data stored at the locationhierarchy database 106, for example, and appropriately setting arespective selector or indicator 808 on the checklist screen 800 toindicate that the identified individual(s) is present. According to someembodiments, the application may display a confirmation request andaccept/reject buttons to the evacuation facilitator for the voices thatare matched, and set a respective indicator 808 accordingly.

Some embodiments use textual messages to determine the evacuation statusof the individuals listed under the name heading 812. According to suchembodiments, individuals may install an individual version of theapplication on their personal devices ahead of time. In suchembodiments, the individual version of the application, as well as theevacuation facilitator's version, includes chatroom or textingfunctionality. During an evacuation event, an individual may activatethe individual version of the application on their mobile device, or itmay be activated automatically when a facilitator activates anevacuation as discussed with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6. The individualmay access a virtual chatroom particular to the emergency event, via theapplication. In the chatroom, they may communicate their evacuationstatus to the evacuation facilitator. The evacuation facilitator mayview the statuses (and communicate with the individuals) in the chatroomthrough their mobile device 100, and may set a respective selector orindicator 808 on the checklist screen 800 based on the providedinformation.

Some embodiments include multiple forms of evacuation statusdetermination techniques. For example, some embodiments may includeevacuation status determination functionality based on any, or anyselection of, evacuation facilitator attestation, voice recognition,facial recognition, and device proximity. For embodiments with multipleevacuation status determination functionalities, a single determinationby any of the available techniques may be sufficient to account for thepresence of an individual evacuee.

Once the mobile device 100 sets one or more evacuation status usingselector(s) or indicator(s) 808, the mobile device 100 may save the datato the evacuation status database 108. In various embodiments, theevacuation facilitator may activate a “save” button 806 to do so, whilein other embodiments, the mobile device 100 may save automatically, forexample, periodically (e.g., every 3 seconds, substantially in realtime, etc.) or whenever an indicator 808 changes. Saving the data causesthe application to upload the evacuation status data to the evacuationstatus database 108 using the wireless communication channel of themobile device 100.

Also depicted in the checklist screen 800 are summary totals concerningthe evacuation; in this example, directly above the “save” button 806.Thus, the application displays, in real time, the total number ofindividuals that the evacuation facilitator is charged with accountingfor, the number whose status based on records at the token scan database104 indicates that they have evacuated and are present outside thelocation (e.g., the number that are “checked in” as shown in FIG. 8),and the number whose status based on records at token scan database 104indicates that they are not subject to the evacuation (e.g., the numberthat are “badged out”). The application also displays, in real time, thenumber of individuals subject to the evacuation that have not yet beenaccounted for (e.g., the number that are “not present”).

Note that, in the example shown in the checklist screen 800, theevacuation facilitator may be a first-level manager, as the screenshotonly lists direct reports. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate example views forsecond-level managers.

FIG. 9 depicts an example of a rollup view checklist screen 900 of anevacuation tracking application executing on a mobile device 100according to various embodiments. The rollup view checklist screen 900shown may be for a second-level manager, because, in addition to thedirect reports that the evacuation facilitator is charged withaccounting for, the application displays total counts 902 for the entireevacuated location, which include numbers for both the evacuationfacilitator's direct reports, and the direct reports of the subordinatefirst-level managers under the logged in evacuation facilitator. Thus,while the logged in evacuation facilitator has eight direct reports inthe example shown, there are 43 individuals total that the evacuationfacilitator may track using the application. Once the checklist datafrom a subordinate first-level manager is saved, that informationbecomes available for retrieval from the evacuation status database 108for downloading and viewing by any qualified evacuation facilitator. Invarious embodiments, the mobile device 100 may retrieve and refresh fromthe evacuation status database 108 periodically at short intervals, suchas once per second.

Note that the rollup view checklist screen 900 of FIG. 9 shows a viewfrom the perspective of the evacuation facilitator that is logged in.That is, the selected view is that of the logged in evacuationfacilitator. However, the evacuation facilitator may select the name ofany subordinate evacuation facilitator using the selection mechanism orinterface 804, according to some embodiments. FIG. 10 shows an exampleof a screen where the logged in evacuation facilitator is different fromthe evacuation facilitator selected by the selection mechanism 804.

FIG. 10 depicts an example of a subordinate manager checklist screen1000 of an evacuation tracking application executing on a mobile device100 according to various embodiments. The subordinate manager checklistscreen 1000 illustrates an evacuation facilitator view for a facilitatorthat is different from the evacuation facilitator that is logged in tothe application. Thus, the logged in evacuation facilitator, “LeonettaJ. Jackson” has selected the name of a subordinate evacuationfacilitator, here, “Judy Wong,” using the selection mechanism 804,according to some embodiments. The subordinate manager checklist screen1000 displays the individuals that Ms. Wong is charged with accountingfor, along with their status information, as described with respect tothe checklist screen 800 of FIG. 8. Note that saving the Wong checklistdata to the evacuation status database 108, e.g., when Ms. Wong uses thesave button 806, enables Ms. Jackson to view Ms. Wong's results from theevacuation status database 108.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart 1100 of a method of evacuation tracking accordingto various embodiments. Method 1100 may be implemented in part by anapplication executing on a mobile device of an evacuation facilitator,e.g., mobile device 100 of FIG. 1.

At block 1102, an executing application installed on a mobile device ofan evacuation facilitator receives a login identification and passwordfrom the evacuation facilitator, e.g., via a login screen such as thatshown and described in reference to FIG. 4. To determine whether thelogin is successful, the application may forward the identification andthe password to a location hierarchy database for comparison to storedrecords. If the data matches, then the login is successful, and theprocess may proceed; otherwise, the application may display an errormessage and request that the evacuation facilitator log in again. Theapplication may lock out the evacuation facilitator after a set numberof incorrect login attempts (e.g., five).

At block 1104, the application receives a selection from among choicesthat include at least a real emergency and emergency simulation. Theselection may be received via an option screen such as that shown anddescribed above in reference to FIG. 6.

At block 1106, the application receives hierarchy data, e.g., from thelocation hierarch database 106. The hierarchy data may be in the form ofa connected directed acyclic graph, stored as a computer readable datastructure. Each node may represent an individual, and the direction ofthe edges may indicate subordinate/supervisory roles. The applicationmay obtain a portion of the graph that lies below the node representingthe evacuation facilitator that logged in at block 1102. (Note that“below” is intended to refer to the subordinates of the logged inevacuation facilitator; that is, the tree may be considered to be aninverted tree, with the root at the top and the terminal nodes,representing individuals with no direct reports, at the bottom.)Alternately, the application may obtain a copy of the complete tree. Thelocation hierarchy database 106 may use tree traversal techniques tolocate the node corresponding to the logged in evacuation facilitator,such as depth-first, or breadth-first traversals. At the application,the tree portion may be traversed using such techniques to extractinformation regarding the individuals and their relationships andrepresent them correctly in the application.

At block 1108, the application receives physical token based locationstatus information, e.g., from the token scan database 104. The physicaltoken based location status information indicates whether eachsubordinate to the logged in evacuation facilitator (includingsubordinates of subordinate managers) is present or absent from thelocation as determined from physical token scans. The application mayobtain the information by conveying a list of individuals to the tokenscan database 104 and requesting their records, where the list isderived from the hierarchy data obtained per block 1106. Alternately,the application may obtain a complete set of records from the token scandatabase 104.

At block 1110, the application displays a physical presence status atthe location for each subordinate to the logged in evacuationfacilitator (including subordinates of subordinate managers). Thedisplays may be based on the physical token based location statusinformation obtained per block 1108. The display may be as shown anddescribed in reference to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, with notations of, e.g.,“in” or “out”, attributed to each such subordinate under the heading“badge status”, for example.

At block 1112, the application receives evacuation status informationregarding each subordinate at issue. The evacuation status informationmay be received according to any of the various techniques shown anddescribed above in reference to FIG. 8. Thus, the evacuation statusinformation may include any, or any combination, of voiceprint data,facial image data, chatroom data, evacuation facilitator attestation,and electronic (e.g., radio frequency) proximity information.

At block 1114, the application records the evacuation statusinformation, e.g., by storing it in the remote evacuation statusdatabase 108. In various embodiments, the application may do so upon theevacuation facilitator activating a “save” button, e.g., as shown anddescribed above in reference to FIG. 8.

At block 1116, a copy of the application executing on the mobile deviceof a second evacuation facilitator, different from the evacuationfacilitator that logged in per block 1102, displays at least theevacuation status information for each of the subordinates who is asubordinate to the second evacuation facilitator. This may beaccomplished by the first evacuation facilitator's mobile device 100saving their evacuation status information, and the second evacuationfacilitator viewing a checklist screen of the application. The secondevacuation facilitator may be subordinate or supervisory to the firstevacuation facilitator. In either case, the displayed individualscorrespond to the subordinates to the second evacuation facilitator whoare also subordinates to the first evacuation facilitator.

Note that the evacuation status information stored per block 1114 may bemerged with evacuation status existing information for the sameevacuation event, e.g., at the remote evacuation status database 108. Inthe event of data conflicts, the most recent data may be considereddefinitive according to various embodiments. Thus, the remote evacuationstatus database 108 may store a running definitive overview of theevacuation status. Further, the remote evacuation status database 108may store a record of each uploaded status information, e.g., inchronological order. This information may be retrieved, e.g., asdescribed per bock 1116 above, at any time prior to the evacuationstatus information being cleared. Alternately, or in addition, theinformation may be retrieved using a different technique, e.g., directdatabase access. Note that the stored evacuation status informationallows for auditing the evacuation event actions. That is, the storedevacuation status information may constitute an audit trail of allevacuation history information. Every evacuation detail can be viewed bythe management, for example.

Certain examples described above can be performed in part using acomputer application or program. The computer program can exist in avariety of forms, both active and inactive. For example, the computerprogram can exist as one or more software programs, software modules, orboth, that can be comprised of program instructions in source code,object code, executable code or other formats, firmware program(s), orhardware description language (HDL) files. Any of the above can beembodied on a computer readable medium, which can include computerreadable storage devices and media in compressed or uncompressed form.Exemplary computer readable storage devices and media includeconventional computer system RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-onlymemory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electricallyerasable, programmable ROM), and magnetic or optical disks or tapes.

Those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications tothe described examples without departing from the true spirit and scope.The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way ofillustration only and are not meant as limitations. In particular,although the method has been described by examples, the steps of themethod can be performed in a different order than illustrated orsimultaneously. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these andother variations are possible within the spirit and scope as defined inthe following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer implemented method of tracking anevacuation of a location in an environment that utilizes physical tokensto prove physical presence at the location, the method comprising:receiving, by an application executing on a mobile device of anevacuation facilitator, and from the evacuation facilitator, anidentification and a password of the evacuation facilitator; verifyingthe identification and password of the evacuation facilitator;receiving, by the application executing on the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator and from the evacuation facilitator, a selectionfrom among choices comprising at least a real emergency and a simulatedemergency; receiving wirelessly, by the application executing on themobile device of the evacuation facilitator, organization hierarchy datarepresenting a plurality of subordinates of the evacuation facilitator;receiving wirelessly, by the application executing on the mobile deviceof the evacuation facilitator, physical token based location statusinformation for each of the plurality of subordinates of the evacuationfacilitator, wherein the physical token based location statusinformation is retrieved from a database that records presences at thelocation based on electronic readings of the physical tokens;displaying, by the application executing on the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, and based on the physical token based locationstatus information, a physical presence status at the location for eachof the plurality of subordinates; receiving, by the applicationexecuting on the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, evacuationstatus information for each of the plurality of subordinates that has aphysical presence status that indicates a presence at the location; andrecording in remote persistent memory the evacuation status informationfor each person of the plurality of subordinates that has a physicalpresence status that indicates a presence at the location, whereby asecond mobile device of a second evacuation facilitator executes a copyof the application to display at least the evacuation status informationfor each of the plurality of subordinates who is a subordinate to thesecond evacuation facilitator.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thereceiving evacuation status information comprises receiving electronicproximity information, by the application executing on the mobile deviceof the evacuation facilitator, of an electronic device of at least oneof the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presence statusthat indicates a presence at the location.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the receiving evacuation status information comprises capturingan image, by the application executing on the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, of at least one of the plurality of subordinatesthat has a physical presence status that indicates a presence at thelocation.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving evacuationstatus information comprises recording a voiceprint, by the applicationexecuting on the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, of atleast one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presencestatus that indicates a presence at the location.
 5. The method of claim1, wherein the receiving evacuation status information comprisesreceiving a textual message, by the application executing on the mobiledevice of the evacuation facilitator, from at least one of the pluralityof subordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location via an executing copy of the applicationinstalled on a mobile device of the at least one of the plurality ofsubordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thereceiving evacuation status information comprises receiving data fromthe evacuation facilitator, by the application executing on the mobiledevice of the evacuation facilitator, regarding at least one person ofthe plurality of subordinates that has a physical presence status thatindicates a presence at the location.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising receiving from the evacuation facilitator, and by theapplication executing on the mobile device of the evacuationfacilitator, a selection of a manager subordinate to the evacuationfacilitator, wherein the plurality of subordinates comprise at leastsubordinates to the manager.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein theplurality of subordinates consist of the subordinates to the manager. 9.The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an electronic messagerepresenting the evacuation to at least one superior of the evacuationfacilitator.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying,by the application executing on the mobile device of the evacuationfacilitator, evacuation status totals for both direct subordinates ofthe evacuation facilitator and indirect subordinates of the evacuationfacilitator.
 11. A non-transitory computer readable media comprisinginstructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device of anevacuation facilitator, configure the mobile device to track anevacuation of a location, in an environment that utilizes physicaltokens to prove physical presence at the location, by performingoperations comprising: receiving, from the evacuation facilitator, anidentification and a password of the evacuation facilitator; verifyingthe identification and password of the evacuation facilitator;receiving, from the evacuation facilitator, a selection from amongchoices comprising at least a real emergency and a simulated emergency;receiving wirelessly, by the mobile device, organization hierarchy datarepresenting a plurality of subordinates of the evacuation facilitator;receiving wirelessly, from a database that records presences at thelocation based on electronic readings of the physical tokens, physicaltoken based location status information regarding physical presence atthe location for each of the plurality of subordinates of the evacuationfacilitator; displaying, based on the physical token based locationstatus information, a physical presence status at the location for eachof the plurality of subordinates; receiving evacuation statusinformation for each of the plurality of subordinates that has aphysical presence status that indicates a presence at the location; andrecording in remote persistent memory the evacuation status informationfor each person of the plurality of subordinates that has a physicalpresence status that indicates a presence at the location, whereby acopy of the application installed on a mobile device of a secondevacuation facilitator displays at least the evacuation statusinformation for each of the plurality of subordinates who is asubordinate to the second evacuation facilitator.
 12. The computerreadable media of claim 11, wherein the receiving evacuation statusinformation comprises receiving electronic proximity information, by themobile device of the evacuation facilitator, of an electronic device ofat least one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physicalpresence status that indicates a presence at the location.
 13. Thecomputer readable media of claim 11, wherein the receiving evacuationstatus information comprises capturing an image, by the mobile device ofthe evacuation facilitator, of at least one of the plurality ofsubordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location.
 14. The computer readable media of claim 11,wherein the receiving evacuation status information comprises recordinga voiceprint, by the mobile device of the evacuation facilitator, of atleast one of the plurality of subordinates that has a physical presencestatus that indicates a presence at the location.
 15. The computerreadable media of claim 11, wherein the receiving evacuation statusinformation comprises receiving a textual message, by the mobile deviceof the evacuation facilitator, from at least one of the plurality ofsubordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location via an executing copy of the applicationinstalled on a mobile device of the at least one of the plurality ofsubordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location.
 16. The computer readable media of claim 11,wherein the receiving evacuation status information comprises receivingdata from the evacuation facilitator, by the mobile device of theevacuation facilitator, regarding at least one person of the pluralityof subordinates that has a physical presence status that indicates apresence at the location.
 17. The computer readable media of claim 11,further comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of amobile device of an evacuation facilitator, further configure the mobiledevice to perform operations comprising receiving from the evacuationfacilitator, and by the mobile device, a selection of a managersubordinate to the evacuation facilitator, wherein the plurality ofsubordinates comprise at least subordinates to the manager.
 18. Thecomputer readable media of claim 17, wherein the plurality ofsubordinates consist of the subordinates to the manager.
 19. Thecomputer readable media of claim 11, further comprising instructionsthat, when executed by a processor of a mobile device of an evacuationfacilitator, further configure the mobile device to perform operationscomprising sending an electronic message representing the evacuation toat least one superior of the evacuation facilitator.
 20. The computerreadable media of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, whenexecuted by a processor of a mobile device of an evacuation facilitator,further configure the mobile device to perform operations comprisingdisplaying, by the mobile device, evacuation status totals for bothdirect subordinates of the evacuation facilitator and indirectsubordinates of the evacuation facilitator.